Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi
JAMESTOWN – As Jamestown police continue to investigate a number of arsons that took place last week on the city’s north side, Mayor Sam Teresi is reminding the community of the consequences the fires have on the city.
In addition to the threat the arsons have to public safety and first responders, Teresi said they will also impact the city’s bottom line, adding that no one should think that setting fire to an abandoned or condemned house is good the neighborhood or community.
“It’s more costly to demolish a burned out structure once its been damaged by fire and the chemical content of the building has been altered. You’re also putting out a lot of public personnel having to respond – the fire department, the police department, the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Development – all these people need to be on the scene,” Teresi said, adding, “Burning down buildings is not a method of urban renewal. It’s a sick, mindless crime that people need to be held accountable for.”
The mayor also said that the state needs to be severe in how it prosecutes arsonists, saying it should be treated as an act of terror.
“It has a devastating impact on a neighborhood and it needs to be treated like the terrorist act that it is,” Teresi said. “Part of an arson is to drive terror into the heart of people that witness it and the people who live around it, and frankly, I think the statutes in this state need to be updated. Mandatory penalties need to be put in place once and for all, to hold those accountable, because this is a form of an act of terror.”
No arrests have been made yet in the arsons that began last Wednesday and continued until early Saturday morning. Police say they are pursuing all leads and are encouraging the public to contact them with any information that could help lead to an arrest. 483-TIPS (483-8477).
Arson is now a form of terrorism? Should we also expand that list to include street corner drug dealing, assault, and drunk driving? All those things scare people too.